Flight Lasted 31 Minutes, Aircraft Performed As Expected

The prototype SN1003, a New Generation of the Dornier Seastar amphibious aircraft successfully performed its first flight today at Oberpfaffenhofen EDMO airport, Germany. The flight was performed by Dornier Seawings test pilot crew and took 31 minutes. The Seastar SN1003 attained the required approvals from EASA and LBA on March 19, 2020, this was a major milestone and achievement for the program.

The New Generation Seastar is significantly improved from the original Seastar which was designed and developed by Claudius Dornier Jr. in the 1980s. The New Generation is equipped with a state-of-the-art full digital glass cockpit, new highly efficient propellers, several systems including air-conditioning and stern thruster, plus a corrosion-resistant composite structure that results in reduced maintenance keeping costs significantly down particularly in sea water operations.

The operational concept of the Seastar is to enhance short to medium haul trips with lower cost and flight time but higher safety and capacity, efficiently connecting land and sea through the sky. The New Generation Seastar has a maximum takeoff weight of 11,250 pounds, a maximum cruise speed of 180 KTAS and 900nm as a maximum range.

Possible customizable interiors include cargo, VIP, passenger and special mission configurations.

"First flight was completed successfully and confirmed the nice handling qualities of the Seastar. All systems functioned correctly. The advanced avionic system reflects the state-of-the-art in cockpit design and is a good baseline for future development," said Wolfram Cornelius, Chief Test Pilot.

(Image provided with Dornier news release)

FMI: www.dornierseawings.com